Breaking the Ice

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Standing Ground

Anna's POV

The glossy surface of the rink glistened under the fluorescent lights. A banner reading "REGIONALS – 3 WEEKS AWAY” flaps slightly from above. Figure skaters—teens of various skill levels—shuffle onto the ice. Excited murmurs echo across the arena.

At the center, Bella, fierce and poised in a custom jacket stitched with “Team Coach”, tightened her skates with deliberate grace. Her sisters, Portia, looking sarcastic and sharp-eyed, and Elena, her posture energetic and eager, flank her. Bella suddenly raised her voice above the noise of the crowd.

"Alright, everyone, huddle up. Time to meet the team... and the people you’ll be trusting with your futures on the ice."

The skaters glide in, forming a half-moon. Whispers rippled through the group as I stepped forward in a plain blue hoodie and my own skates. Courtney flashed an encouraging smile from the viewing box ahead of us and I nodded swiftly.

With a tight-lipped smirk, Bella motioned to me. "I assume everyone here knows Anna. She’ll be acting as our assistant coach this season. Anna may not be an athlete, but she has the blood of a hockey legend. Let's see if daddy played any influence in her life."

I curled my hands into tight fists, but stood my ground. Portia rolled her eyes; Elena chewed her gum loudly.

Bella continued her speech as the group of skaters watched on in silence.

"Anna’s never competed—officially. But she’s watched a lot of skating videos. So... there’s that."

Courtney's voice suddenly boomed from the viewing box. "You’ve got this, Anna! Show ‘em how real compares to plastic!"

I took a breath, brushing my bangs from my face. My eyes flashed with quiet resolve.

"If you’re done with the sarcasm, Bella, I’d like to propose a challenge. Just for fun." I said seriously.

Bella raised an amused brow as she folded her arms across her chest. "Oh? Do enlighten us."

"You. Me. One lap. Speed race," I said, watching her intently.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Bella arched an eyebrow, laughing under her breath.

"This isn’t roller derby, Anna. You really want to humiliate yourself that badly?"

I let out an amused chuckle. "Maybe I do. Or maybe I just want to prove I belong here." My eyes caught movement in the corner and I angled my head to see Portia whispering to Elena. A smug grin pulled across Elena's face as she shook her head.

Bella spun dramatically and glided to the starting line. I followed, clenching my jaw tight as I positioned myself beside her. Courtney pounded on the glass again.

" Let’s go, Anna Banana! Make her eat that smirk!"

Bella crouched with confident grace, like a tiger ready to pounce. I took a controlled stance that I remembered from my times on the ice with my dad during summer training. I adjusted my foot position like I'd replayed this moment a hundred times in my head.

Bella angled her head towards me, her glossy lips pulling in a crude smile.

"Ready to regret this?" she chuckled under her breath as she looked forward once more.

"I've never regretted anything in my life. You, however, shouldn't count your chickens before they hatch," I flexed my hands and readied myself.

Elena raised a whistle.

"On my count! Three... two... one!" The sound of the whistle pierced the air and we were off.

The team watched as Bella rocketed forward, fluid and fast. But I—silent and controlled—built momentum quickly. My strides weren’t flashy, but efficient. Purposeful.

Mid-lap, Bella looked to her right and saw me surging beside her, her eyes slightly widening.

"No way," someone gasped.

The final turn came up as Bella leaned into it with a flourish—but she overcommitted, skidding slightly, allowing me to glide past her.

"YES! That’s my girl!" I heard Courtney shouting.

The crowd erupted as I crossed the line first. Bella skated in a second later, breathless, eyes wide in disbelief. Panting, I extended a hand towards Bella. "Thanks for the warm-up."

A few of the skaters laughed—nervously, but with genuine admiration. Bella stared at my offered hand and frowned deeply, then turned and moved back to the group.

"One race doesn’t mean anything," Bella said under her breath, just loud enough for me to hear her.

"Whatever you say, coach," I responded as I followed closely back towards the group.

"Enjoy your little moment, Anna. It won’t last long," Portia said coldly.

"Funny. I was about to say the same to you," I said right back to her without missing a breath, although my lungs felt like I had swallowed hot tea.

Portia started forward, her eyes narrowed—but a voice cut through the tension.

"I thought this was a practice session?" a male voice echoed as someone made their way over to me.

Everyone turned. Standing next to me, Liam, tall, boyish, and looking totally out of place in a windbreaker and a camera hanging from his neck shot me a sheepish grin.

"What are you---" I began to ask him, but he walked over and began snapping pictures of the figure skating team and the Ramsey sisters. Portia and Elena blinked rapidly as the flash of the camera clicked on and on as Bella stood looking annoyed to hell.

Portia walked over to yank the camera from Liam's hand, but he pulled back just in time.

"Oh no you don't!" he pointed an accusatory finger at her. "Daddy can't find an antique like this one if you break it."

Portia scoffed. "Why are you even here, Liam?"

Liam ignored her and made his way back over to my side. "I'm sorry. I'm here to support Anna. She's my senior in the department. I also take pictures for the college paper. Go Hawks!"

"Hi Liam!" Courtney shouted from the box as she waved enthusiastically.

Liam, waving back, chuckled under his breath. "Damian has his work cut out for him," he whispered, catching my attention.

"What did you say?" I asked, but he waved me off as he checked his camera.

"This is a training session, not a clubhouse. Everybody get in line!" Bella suddenly shouted as she barked orders for the team to execute.

Liam and I watched as she pushed the team through various routines, singling out those that needed to practice more and praising those that stood out. At the end of the session, the team was slowly dragging themselves off the rink when Bella's voice boomed once more.

"Practice will be earlier from the next session. I want everyone to do 20 laps around the ice before I get here!"

The team groaned in unison but Bella and her sisters paid no attention to them as the doors to the locker room swung open.

Bella's face suddenly lit up as she closed the distance on the ice in mere seconds and flung herself into the arms of a very startled Marcus, while Damian and Peter kept their distance behind him. Portia and Elena moved towards them as well, but the two younger McKays were quicker in avoiding any contact. The sound of something crashing had everyone turning towards the viewing box as Courtney slammed the gates and made her way over to where I sat on the bench with Liam.

I didn't miss the way my best friend narrowed her eyes in the direction of where Damian and Peter stood while trying to keep Portia and Elena at arms' length.

"Court, are you okay?" I asked as I looked over just in time for my eyes to see Marcus leading Bella towards the lockers, his eyes catching mine. He winked at me before they disappeared through the doors and Peter waved to us enthusiastically.

Liam waved back, catching me off-guard.

"You know the McKays?" I asked as Courtney slumped on the bench beside me.

Liam scrunched his nose and thought about it for a bit before smiling once more. "We're more, business associates?"

"Huh?" I arched a brow, but Liam chuckled again and stood from the bench.

"I'm going to develop these for the print for tomorrow's paper. See you next session!" And with that he walked off, leaving me more confused than ever.

Turning to Courtney, I'm about to ask her where she'd like to go and grab something to eat, when she stood suddenly, hands fisted to her side.

"We're going wherever the hell they're going!" she declared, as she grabbed hold of my hand and almost dragged me bodily towards the doors.